Fast X is a movie that has been in production for years and is one of the most expensive movies ever made. It has a cast large enough to match its massive budget. However, for director Louis Leterrier, who took over behind the camera a week into production after franchise stalwart Justin Lin quit, the cast was not quite big enough. The issue, as far as Leterrier was concerned, was not about how many people they had in the Fast & Furious #family, but rather who was missing from it. Namely: Agent Hobbs, played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in four main series movies and one spin-off, and Gisele (Gal Gadot), who has been thought dead since Fast & Furious 6. Both make very brief returns at the end of the film.
Johnson’s Return
Dwayne Johnson swore he would never return to the core franchise over his long-term feud with Vin Diesel. But things change, and now Hobbs is back, announcing his return in the Fast X mid-credits scene. How did this happen? Well, Leterrier told The Hollywood Reporter that it was the movie itself that sold Johnson on the return. “I didn’t know Dwayne, personally, but we reached out to Dwayne and Dwayne’s team. We sort of looked at each other from across the room and winked a few months back, saying, ‘We should work together,’” Leterrier said. “And then I had this idea and I presented it to the producers and the studio. And then we reached out to Dwayne and his team and said, ‘Just come and watch the movie. You have to love the movie first.’”
So he came to see the movie and really loved it, and then they started talking. It was very smooth, and frankly, as a fan, Leterrier could not conceive continuing the franchise without either Dwayne or Gal Gadot. This franchise was built by actors and characters. The set pieces are wonderful. They keep you entertained and keep you shoving popcorn in your mouth, but the characters make this franchise what it is.
Fast X-2 in 2025
Leterrier’s story tracks for one big reason: In Fast Five, it was actually Agent Hobbs who killed Hernan Reyes, the father of Jason Momoa’s Fast X villain, Dante. And so to have this story thread play out to the end without Hobbs in it at all would have been pretty weird because Dante naturally holds the same animosity for Hobbs as he does the characters who are actually in the rest of Fast X. But now it looks like they’ll get to have their fun, too, in Fast X-2 in 2025.
Fast X has been one of the most anticipated movies of all time, and it has been met with mixed reviews. However, the one thing that fans can agree on is that the return of Agent Hobbs played by Dwayne Johnson, and Gisele played by Gal Gadot, is a welcome addition to the franchise. The absence of these two characters would have left a big hole in the story, and it is good to see that the director was able to convince Johnson to return. As the franchise continues, it will be interesting to see what direction it takes, and if it can continue to keep fans entertained.
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